America has decided: the 2024 election results are in
The stakes have been higher, the divisions deeper and the questions more urgent than ever this past week as the election has left Americans in shock. Tension rose across the United States as Americans chimed in to watch the polls fluctuate by the minute. The electoral vote results resulted in a Trump victory, with 312 to Trump and 226 to Harris. Harris underperformed in most states where Trump succeeded, and people’s reactions across the nation have never been so divided. Trump’s victory will make him the 47th president, and the first-ever convicted felon to hold a place in office.
After months of extensive campaigning nationwide and 1 billion dollars in funds, projections showed that Harris could have the potential lead in many swing states. Harris’s campaign reached SNL’s audience where there was a boost in support. However, when it came time, the settling states swung to the right, providing Trump with a likely victory after gaining Wisconsin, and a decisive one after winning Arizona, along with the following five swing states.
Since the presidential election between Obama and McCain, Indiana and North Carolina have shifted back to supporting Republicans. In contrast, Virginia has consistently favored Democratic presidential candidates and has seen a growing trend of electing left-wing politicians in state elections, resulting in its recent designation as a blue state. The shock, the push and pull between states left Americans with a lot of heavy debates and belief systems to now put into place.
The media coverage of the election has only fueled the fire on both sides; the desire for change and the euphoria for results. This divide has taken its course on social media with a plethora of support, confusion and complaints about how the election went down, and who is to blame. Supporters of Donald Trump remain a significant and vocal force in American politics, but the support was just as intense as the rebuttal, and all of the mixed views seemed to explode across all platforms. From the burning of ballot boxes across the Pacific Northwest, to celebrity influence across all media platforms, emotions have been at an all time high for the American people.
Trump and Harris’s policies leave many citizens confused as to which policies are best for the country. Concerns like economic policies, climate change control and the debate on election integrity have all been active examinations on both candidate’s sides. The divide between American’s is clear, but the uncertainty for the next four years has been weighing on the American people’s minds. For some the future feels secure, and for others it is something they fear.
This year has been historical, and the outcome for the next four lies on President Trump’s shoulders.
